Being a "Visible Artist"

Sketching from life is one of my favorite ways to decompress. It’s great for when you’re sitting in a cafe, at an event, or just want to practice your skills.

Sketching at a recent Poetry on the Pond event at the Weymouth Center in Southern Pines.

When you’re sketching in public, you do have to accept that people are probably going to be curious and take a peek in your sketchbook. It makes people happy to see someone being creative in public.

Enjoying a chilly first day of spring, before this tree sprouted any leaves.

You can use any old tools when you’re sketching in public. Here’s what I like to use:

Handbook Watercolor Sketchbook

Koi Travel Watercolor

Watercolor Brush Pen

Zebra Pens

These supplies can last for years. I painted my Seawitch book with my travel watercolor set 9/10 years ago and I’m just now hitting the bottom of the pan with a few colors.

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My partner, Romey, is big on the concept of being a “visible artist” in the community. This really means not being too self-conscious to be creative in public. You never know what might come of it! You might just make a new connection or inspire someone else to be a visible artist, too.

A Library Comic

I have not been making much in the way of comics for the past couple years, due in large part to the fact that I have been getting my Master’s in Library Science through the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. I did manage to make a comic in lieu of an essay earlier this year for my Diverse Populations class. Today is my graduation, so I look forward to more time to create comics in 2022!

Seeing Things

Where the Crawdads Sing Sketchbook Review

I’ve posted several book reviews on my Instagram this year. I decided to push myself to read more and set a goal of reading 100 books! I’m currently at 101 and think I can fit in another book or two before the stroke of midnight on December 31. Where the Crawdads Sing was definitely one of the standouts and surprises of the year.

2018 is here...

What a busy end of the year! I meant to make a cool year-end summary post but then I think I took 10 naps instead. I'm finally feeling recharged after taking time off work, laying on the couch, knitting, and working my way through my reading pile. Just when I feel ready to get some creative work done, it's back to real life! Oh, well. 

Here are some fun things I've been meaning to post about: 

My illustration was on the cover of Pinestraw Magazine! For those who live outside of Moore County, Pinestraw is a free publication put out by our local newspaper. In addition to all the info on local events and businesses, it also features great writing profiling historical events, local entrepreneurs, and beautiful homes. The photography, design, and the fact that they make a point to give a platform to local artists means that the issues are a hot commodity and snatched up every month when they hit the stands. I was beyond excited that art director, Andie Rose, not only thought of me for this job but then chose to put it on the cover. This was a dream job to close out 2017. 

My mom got the cover framed for me for a Christmas present, so I'll get to keep a little piece of cheer up all year round! Happy New Year!

Spiderella is now on Kickstarter!

You can visit the Kickstarter page for our campaign here!

Romey made so many wonderful graphics for this project! He also made our amazing video.

The beautiful batch of test copies we received!

On the Kickstarter page, you'll find lots of info about the rewards, the risks and all that good stuff! 

Spiderella has been a dream for Romey and me practically since we met 6 years ago. I still remember when he told me the story and I secretly thought, "I want to draw it!" I was thrilled when he asked me if I would illustrate it because that had been my evil plan all along. 

The work I did for Spiderella is honestly the work I'm most proud of. I still glance back at the pages and think, "I did that!?" And now we're ready to share that work with the world. 

Here are three ways you can help:

1. Back the Kickstarter and get some lovely rewards. 

2. Share the link on social media-- the more eyeballs, the better!

3. Tell someone who you think will like it, too. Text, email, call! Reach out to someone special and tell them about this book. 

The Kickstarter Campaign will end on October 31st, a very auspiciously spooky date. So put on your fanciest costume, markyour calendar, and spread the word! 

A Comic about Collaboration

This sketchbook comic addresses something that's been on my mind lately as Romey and I prepare for the launch of a Kickstarter for Spiderella! (More on that very soon)

We both agreed that it's so much more effortless to promote Spiderella, a project that we both had an equal hand in, than it is to promote things we've done by ourselves. And we'd better buckle our seat belts because there's a lot of promotion to do! 

Anyway, I usually post comics like this on my Instagram and Twitter, where, for simplicity's sake, I am @laurelholden. 

Oh, my... another book review!

This was, perhaps, my favorite book I've read this year! I can't wait to see what the author is going to do next. 

Other favorites of the summer: Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia, The Girl in the Red Coat by Kate Hamer, Caraval by Stephanie Garber, and The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon, I would have loved to have done sketchbook reviews for all of these, but I was busy making my new book, The House Remains. Look for a post about this and information about where to purchase soon!

"Touch" by Courtney Maum

Next up for my Sketchbook Reviews... 

This was the book I just couldn't stop talking about! Plus, after I posted it on Instagram, the author liked and reposted it! It was one of those cool connections that could only happen as a consequence of the internet (though it's mostly evil.) It also reminded me of the importance of telling people that you appreciate their work; especially for authors and artists who work mostly in solitude. Hearing from a fan is special and rare unless you're, like, super Neil Gaiman famous. Next time you love someone's work, let them know!

Book Reviews!

This winter, some friends and I started a book club. What started out as a good excuse to get a group of busy women together on a regular basis turned out to be just the thing I needed to rediscover my love of reading. It sounds silly, right? A librarian who doesn't read? Blame it on my English degree... four solid years of stressing over my reading until I fell asleep under Ulysses and a pile of Diet Coke cans somehow left me feeling burnt out. But I have found my way back! Here are some sketchbook reviews for some books I have enjoyed this Summer... 

Lularoe Barn Bash

Mermaid Livie

I painted this for my friend Hill's daughter Livie. She is obsessed with all things mermaid! A toddler mermaid would probably get into a lot of trouble with the creatures under the sea. 

Felix the Celebrity

One of the kids told me today... "Any time is Felix time." Felix couldn't agree more.